Book Bites

Book Bites, our book talk with area book groups, is always an exciting and challenging event. The challenge stems from having to select only a few books from the abundance of worthy candidates. So, I ask myself – what exactly makes a good choice for book groups? I suppose, ultimately it is subjective, based upon who is in the group and what the group as a whole wants from their selections. But, for me, a good reading group book is one that is thought provoking, easy-to-read, and rife with conflict.

Books resonate differently for each reader – we all take away something unique and personal. And, of course, our tastes vary, but one hopes that personal taste aside, a good book can stir-up some food for thought. It’s really not enough for a book to simply be “enjoyable” – it needs to stimulate ideas, and hopefully, get one to see the world anew.

So, me being me, I tend to recommend those books that would otherwise be overlooked. I enjoy the unusual and horrific – this includes vampires, zombies, werewolves, aliens etc. And though I know these types of books are not compatible with the tastes of some book groups, I feel they are valuable and can lead to meaningful discussions. It’s not easy, always being the odd-one-out, the gal who always pushes the boundaries of palatability. But I have an abundance of optimism and hope, and refuse to be quelled. So, I’m going to put it out there for the rest of you.

Here is my personal favorite selection for book groups. Enjoy:

World War Z by Max Brooks – a wowzer of a story that chronicles the survivors of “The Zombie Wars.” For me, this is one of the best examples of stretching the genre boundaries. It’s a thoughtful, relevant, timely and gripping book - the zombies are an embodiment of a viral pandemic that sweeps the globe. What makes this an utterly brilliant piece of fiction is how real every single character seems. How plausible they are and how completely human – from our deepest fears and transgressions, to our most profound ability to reach out to one another and help each other survive. I cannot praise this book enough.